Donald Cerrone to move to featherweight after Dunham fight @UFC 167

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone seemed on track for a revenge tour through UFC’s lightweight division at 155 pounds. But the Denver mixed martial arts fighter instead will take on a new set of rivals.Cerrone on Monday told The Denver Post he will move to the featherweight division (145 pounds) after his next fight, against Evan Dunham at UFC 167 in Las Vegas on Nov. 16.“It was my idea,” said Cerrone, 30. “(UFC’s) response was, ‘As long as you do it healthy, it’s fine.’“Right now, my diet, I can eat what I want. I’m not really disciplined on that side. But if I tighten up what I eat and train a little harder, I’ll be fine,” he said.Cerrone, who’s lost two of his past three bouts but is 9-3 in his past 12, could have set up for rematches after recent lightweight losses to Nate Diaz, Anthony Pettis and Rafael dos Anjos. But Cerrone (20-6) instead has his eyes on a featherweight veteran.“A great fight that I’d love is B.J. Penn,” Cerrone said. “That would be so awesome. He’s a veteran of the sport. He’s fought everywhere. I don’t know how many fights B.J. has left, so it’d be cool to get in there with a legend.”Cerrone, still one of the most entertaining fighters in UFC despite dropping down recent rankings, said he remains interested in fighting for a title.“I want the belt. Always. I want to stay active and fighting,” he said. “And if that’s what it takes, that’s cool. I love fighting as much as I can and as often as possible.”Broomfield fighter Cat Zingano, left, and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at the site of the former McNichols Arena in Denver. (Getty Images)UFC’s 20th anniversaryCerrone on Monday joined Broomfield’s Cat Zingano in Denver to kick off a promotional tour in celebration of UFC’s 20th anniversary.Denver in 1993 hosted the first Ultimate Fighting Championship event, UFC 1 at the now-torn down old McNichols Arena. Promotional posters for that fight bragged that “There are no rules!” There also were no weight divisions and Royce Gracie defeated Ken Shamrock and Gerard Gordeau to win the event.The UFC has come a long way since then. The circuit was bought in 2001 by the Zuffa promotions company behind Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta and Dana White.Cerrone said he was still in elementary school when UFC started. But the former professional kick boxer had an early education in MMA.“I loved Pat Smith and all those old guys,” Cerrone said of the Denver fighter who lost in the championship round to Gracie at UFC 2 in Denver in 1994. Cerrone said he also got an MMA education by watching Denver’s Nate Marquardt at International Fighting Championship events, along with Greeley’s Ron “H2O” Waterman, a former WEC champion; and ex-Strikeforce champ Renato “Babalu” Sobral.Cerrone eventually moved from kick boxing to MMA after promoter Sven Bean offered him a fight in the Ring of Fire circuit.“I remember being like, ‘I’ll never be a wrestler. I’m just gonna stand and fight,’” Cerrone said. “Then my first fight was a triangle (submission loss) and I had to eat crow.”Cerrone said he doesn’t regret entering the UFC. “If not, I’d be roofing or laying hardwood floors right now.”

he's mentioned it before, but i doubt he could make it. he's already lean @ 155lbs. and although it was a long time ago, he did once test positive for a banned diuretic. at 30 yrs of age, I would think he's going to naturally gain more mass.
yes, a fighter with a strict diet can help them make weight. but at what cost? I don't know if there's actual medical studies on athletes who have to cut massive amounts of weight in short period of time, but it doesn't just effect a fighters performance in the fight, but can have overall negative effects on a fighters health.
the whole issue with DC making LHW was that he improperly cut weight for the Olympics which resulted in kidney failure. I hope Cerrone's not making this decision cause of his status @ LW but because he knows he can make FW.
in boxing we see fighters move up in weight too soon which results in them heightening the damage they take in fights from naturally bigger fighters. i guess in MMA we're seeing fighters move down in weight when they're body type doesn't make it seem ideal for them

he's mentioned it before, but i doubt he could make it. he's already lean @ 155lbs. and although it was a long time ago, he did once test positive for a banned diuretic. at 30 yrs of age, I would think he's going to naturally gain more mass.
yes, a fighter with a strict diet can help them make weight. but at what cost? I don't know if there's actual medical studies on athletes who have to cut massive amounts of weight in short period of time, but it doesn't just effect a fighters performance in the fight, but can have overall negative effects on a fighters health.
the whole issue with DC making LHW was that he improperly cut weight for the Olympics which resulted in kidney failure. I hope Cerrone's not making this decision cause of his status @ LW but because he knows he can make FW.
in boxing we see fighters move up in weight too soon which results in them heightening the damage they take in fights from naturally bigger fighters. i guess in MMA we're seeing fighters move down in weight when they're body type doesn't make it seem ideal for them

all you have to do is look at Bernard Hopkins if you want to move up and down correctly.

all you have to do is look at Bernard Hopkins if you want to move up and down correctly.

Bernard Hopkins is the Randy Couture of boxing. the guys just simply the exception to many rules. we'd have to go way back nearly 40+yrs to see as similar boxing career as his
also consider that Hopkins could have moved up to 175lbs way back when he was still the 160 lb champ, but he lives a strict lifestyle, runs 6 miles a day strict diet etc. but even that came with negative effects. as he aged but kept in great shape from diet and running, he started to not be able to have much output in his fights. the late trainer Emanuel Steward talked about how he thought B-Hop should have moved up in weight as he aged cause his strict life style top stay @ 160 lbs came at the price of speed power and output in his fights
so Cerrone can have a great camp have the porper diet, but him having to stay around a certain weight then cut down to 145 lbs will still come at a price, from loss of speed, power, stamina or even durability.
it's why I wondered if there's any studies on athletes who do weight cuts in short periods of time. we all look at fighters and give an eye test as far as what weight class they should be in, but there's no science to it. no test that lets a fighter know that he's a 170lber and his body at that time can perfomer at it's optimum at 170 lbers, or that his body can only take punishment from another 170lber

HORRIBLE IDEA!!!!! Just because he thinks and says he can make the weight doesn't mean he should try. If Cerrone wants to be a champion, then he should continue to concentrate more on improving his technique, strength and conditioning, and improving his mental health (basically, stuff he's already been doing, but do it more). Maybe he should even take some time off, and hit his reset button. Give his body more time to let the adjustments kick in. Anything, but cut another 10 pounds that he doesn't have on his body to lose!

HORRIBLE IDEA!!!!! Just because he thinks and says he can make the weight doesn't mean he should try. If Cerrone wants to be a champion, then he should continue to concentrate more on improving his technique, strength and conditioning, and improving his mental health (basically, stuff he's already been doing, but do it more). Maybe he should even take some time off, and hit his reset button. Give his body more time to let the adjustments kick in. Anything, but cut another 10 pounds that he doesn't have on his body to lose!

Seriously if he thought Pettis f---ed his ribs up wait til he meets Aldo

Cerrones problem isn't his weight class, its how horribly slow he starts out. That being said, if he cuts to 55 easily and doesn't watch his diet, then who am i to say the move is a bad idea. He trains at a stud gym, IM sure it was thought out

Don't like this at all. He is already a big LW that cuts a lot with nothing more to lose. He is as lean and in shape as a person can be. If he is not smart enough to not do this for his health than his coaches should be.